The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-11-30
A RIOT IN LOUISIANA.
The Strikes on the Sugar Plantations
End in Bioodshed- Whites and
Blacks lnfiaued.


New ORLEANS. i,~ Noy si--Ihe rigi-
lantes have proclaimed martial law IN Thii'o-
sie4ux. The strike in the sugar district Of
louisiana has already cc-s nicre than dog
en- lives and TONG the town is psfroled by
about 30 armed men. For a week past,
ever since the withdrawal of the militia, the
situation has been growing more critical.
A large nuini,er Of the strikers s'ill Semain-
~ OUT. Those in the rinsl districts prowled
around at night, firing nj tire hands at work
in the sugar houses or at horsernen ON the
,,ni,lie tsielwey killing one aad atdifisTeni
times wounding seven.
Although Thihodeaux. the scene of the
riot. i barely sixty miles from the city. news
nom there i meagre. After the shooting,
which occurred about o'clock Yesterday
morning. the vigilantes established martial
law. refusing to allow any person 10 enter or
leave the town OF any kilograms to be sent
The news is chiefly obtained here from the
negro refugees who came to this city by the
Southern Pacific Railroad The trouble has
been brewing ever since the beginning Of the
big sugar strike. November l. The striking
hands. evicied from the plantations. sought
refuge in Thibodeaux, which was crowded
with negroes, five ant six families 10 house
All accounts show for a week past there has
been some firing on both sides. but mainly
from the strikers.
The Lieutenant Governor of the state. and
TAYLOR Beattie. late Republican candidate
for governor Of the state, endeayored on
Tuesday To negotiate with the strikers. and
lust as 4 settlement was about 10 he reached
two negroes. William Watson and Morris
Page. were murdered In the town b, some
drunken white men. The crime was de
nounced hy the whites. but the negro strik-
err retaliaied by shooting from ambush two
white men.
WEDNESDAYS RIOT.
/ llyisu Wednesday morning the white
patrol which had been sworn in to keep the
peace was fired on, presumably by strikers
ambushed in the cane, and two young men
Henry Nicholson and John Gormail-seri-
ously wounded The whites who had been
canned in and around the courthouse, then
marched out some 250 strong, all armed, 10
the aegro quarters Of the town and began TO
search house after house for arms and ann
muniiion.
As the whites forced their way into the
houses Of the negroes the latter sprang over
their back fences and the whites opened fire
on them IS they ran for the woods. Wher-
ever any body OF negroes eongregaied they
were fired on. No resistance was made and
no shot was fired by the negroes. The wo-
men and the children were notified to re-
main quies and no harm would be done
them. but tlie men were ordered 10 leave
Town N once. A. they lied through the
field, TO the woods sN we're killed, among
them being Willis Wilson, William Watson.
Archie Jones. and Felix Pierce. One was
fatally wounded vino died to-day two
more viii die. and two others are seriously
wounded. One old blind negro woman. who
ran out OF hei cabin at the noise, was fatally
wounded. and died to-day
REIGN or TERROR ~ THE TOWN.
The shooting lasted from twenty minutes
90 half an hour. and resembled good sized
skirmish previous TO battle. al the end of
which lime every negro had lel town or was
hidden OF barricaded in bis house After
the shooting was over . meeting of whites
was held. at which every agitator and srrik-
er WAS ordered 10 leave town at once. The
leaders OF the strike were escorted by guard
10 the depot, and left by the southern Pacific
Railroad for New Orleans, the trains on that
road being crowded with these refugees.
other strikers lefi on i.ot, some taking ref
uge in Assumption parish and Others walk
ing all the way 10 New orleans
To-day two companies of militia, the
Louisiana Rifles and the Washington Artil-
cry, ieft for the scene Of the troubles with
Gatling gun. Their presence seemed 10 re-
store confidence To-day the piekets were
fired upon again, but no one was hurt.
Nearly all the leaders in the strike have left
she parish